


Aftermath and Consequences

by quiet__tiger



Category: Smallville
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Crossover, Drama, M/M, Non-Consensual
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-10-16
Updated: 2006-10-16
Packaged: 2017-11-01 10:48:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/355803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quiet__tiger/pseuds/quiet__tiger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to Matter Over Mind.  Lex and Bruce respond to what Clark did to Lex, and Clark responds back.  WARNING: UNDER AGE NON-CONSENSUAL.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Aftermath and Consequences

**Author's Note:**

> Sequel to Matter Over Mind, where Clark attends Excelsior and is not a nice boy.

## Aftermath and Consequences

by Quiet Tiger

<http://quiet--tiger.livejournal.com/profile>

* * *

Title: Aftermath and Consequences  
Author: Quiet Tiger  
Pairings, characters: Lex, Clark, Bruce; Bruce/Lex, Clark/Lex Rating: NC-17/adult 

WARNINGS: Under age. Non-consensual. HEED THIS. 

Summary: What happened after the events of Matter Over Mind? Lex and Bruce respond to what Clark did to Lex, and Clark responds back. 

* * *

Bruce strode through the halls of Excelsior's main building, hunting for his roommate, Lex Luthor. His footsteps echoed flatly as he increased his pace, worried about his friend. Lex hadn't shown up for their fencing lesson, and wasn't back in their room just blowing it off. It wasn't like Lex to blow off a lesson, but it wasn't unprecedented, either. 

As Bruce passed the blocked-off hall that was under reconstruction, he got a hunch. After a few seconds it became more than a hunch, and he <i>knew</i> Lex was somewhere in there. Glancing around to make sure no one with authority was watching, Bruce ducked under the caution tape and entered the dim hallway. He passed two classrooms and a closet, and was about to pass the bathroom when he heard sniffling. Pushing through the partially-opened door, Bruce fought nausea at what he saw. 

Lex was curled into a ball against the wall, his pants partially pulled up. There was... blood. Not a whole lot, but certainly more than there should be for any reason. Lex didn't seem to be blinking. He certainly wasn't _seeing_. 

"Lex?" Bruce stepped forward slowly, not wanting to scare his friend. 

Lex flinched, but turned tired eyes onto Bruce. There wasn't evidence that Lex had cried, but he still looked haunted. 

Bruce crossed the room and crouched next to Lex, careful not to look anywhere but Lex's face. He'd seen Lex nude before simply because they were roommates, but he didn't want Lex to suffer any further indignity. "What happened?" 

"Kent." 

Kent? "Clark?" 

Tiny nod. 

"Did he..." Bruce trailed off, knowing Lex would get the insinuation. 

Another tiny nod. 

"Jesus..." Bruce dropped his knees and sat back on his heels. "Can you walk?" 

Tiny shrug. 

"Come on, we need to get you out of here and clean you up." 

Lex let Bruce get his arm around him as he leaned heavily into the touch. He helped him do up his pants, and gave him his sweater to wrap around his waist to hide the blood stains. Lex was unsteady on his feet for the first few steps, but regained his equilibrium after that. 

But he still didn't pull out of Bruce's grip. 

Bruce guided them down the hall, outside, and back to their room. He didn't care if anyone saw them; there were rumors already, anyway. He peeled Lex's clothing off and Lex let him, with it enough to help him pull his pants over his feet. Bruce winced at the finger-shaped bruises on Lex's hips. He looked up again into Lex's passionless blue eyes. "Can I see?" 

Lex stared at him, but then nodded slowly and turned around. Bruce looked closely enough to see caked blood mixed with semen, then made Lex turn back around. "Fuck." 

"Yeah." 

"Does it hurt?" Bruce knew it was a stupid question, but he couldn't help but ask. 

"Yeah. I. Couldn't move. Could only sit." 

Bruce wasn't sure where to go with that, since Lex was physically capable of walking, so he moved on. "Come on, you should really go to the nurse. He really hurt you." 

"No. I don't want to draw more attention to this than necessary. It's not like I don't know who did this." 

Underneath Lex's words Bruce detected a very specific kind of malice. The revenge malice. 

"You could be really hurt." 

"I'll heal. You know that." It was true that Lex healed quickly, but... 

"You should make sure he didn't have any STDs or anything. I don't want you to get sick." 

"What do you care?" 

Bruce frowned. "You're my roommate and my friend. Of course I care." 

"You're the only one." Lex stared out the window, one hand twisting in the sweater he still held. 

Great... like Lex needed another reason to become overwhelmed by depression. "You know that's not true." Not that Bruce had much evidence to counter Lex's opinion. "Come on, let's at least get you cleaned up, then we can go to the nurse and just get a blood test. Maybe say someone bled on you." 

"Maybe." 

"Come on." Bruce went to their closet and pulled out one of Lex's big purple towels, and one of his own dark maroon ones. "Let's go to the shower." 

Lex cocked an eyebrow; maybe he was feeling better. "You're going to join me?" 

"Yes." 

"I think I'm better now." 

"I think you need someone." Bruce handed Lex his towel. Lex wrapped it around himself as tight as it would go, crossing his arms over it over his chest. "I need to see how badly you're hurt." 

"Why?" 

"Because I'm the only one who knows how quickly you heal. I'm also the only person you let see you naked so long as you're conscious." 

"Yeah. I." Lex started to shake. "Okay." 

Bruce wrapped another arm around him and held him close. Lex didn't deserve this. He was already so frail mentally, and he looked so frail physically with his pallor, and Bruce couldn't imagine that brute Kent considering rape a fair fight. Kent was going to pay, Bruce would make sure. Kent couldn't just go around and hurt people like this. 

Bruce led Lex down the hall to the communal bathroom and pushed him into the shower stall farthest from the door. He then stripped and turned on the water, pushing Lex into it after having him take off his towel. 

The shower was hot to the point that it was uncomfortable even for Bruce, but Lex seemed to need it that way. He stopped shaking and let Bruce clean him. Bruce wasn't sure what it meant that Lex succumbed to Bruce's ministrations. But he washed soapy water over Lex's pale skin, taking care around his bruised hips and torn backside. Bruce exhaled a reflexive breath; it didn't look as bad as it had before, now that the area was clean. 

They eventually got out of the shower and returned to their room. Lex immediately pulled on a full set of pajamas and curled up on his bed and faced the wall, while Bruce dressed in jeans and a polo shirt. He left for a few minutes to grab them both sandwiches from the cafeteria, and Lex didn't acknowledge him either before he left or when he returned with the food. 

Bruce sat on his own bed and watched Lex while he ate. Lex needed help. More than anything Bruce could do for him. But he'd wait through the night and see how Lex felt in the morning. Until then, he'd let Lex alone. 

* * *

Lex was in that hazy state between sleep and wakefulness, drifting through nightmarish images intermingled with pleasant thoughts, an attempt to drown the urge to wake and scream. 

Going back to sleep wasn't much of an option, either. 

Lex lay on his side, careful not to move too much, for some time, until Bruce's alarm went off. At least Bruce always woke to some classical cd, not a jarring alarm or shitty pop-rock. Practically before the music was off, Lex felt Bruce lean over him. 

"Lex, you awake?" Bruce's voice was soft, and full of caring. Lex didn't want to know what he'd do if it weren't for Bruce. They'd only known each other a few years, but it seemed like forever. A lifetime. 

Lex rolled onto his back, wincing as pain shot through his lower back and hips. "Unfortunately." 

Bruce sat on the edge of Lex's bed, crowding him in. Under other circumstances, Lex would have pushed him away, but this time he let Bruce touch him. Rough fingers stroked over the side of his head. "I'd ask if you're okay, but..." 

"Yeah." Lex forced his eyes to open, no matter how hard he wanted to keep them closed and avoid reality. Bruce looked down at him, his look of concern making Lex feel funny. "It hurts." 

"Bad enough for a doctor?" 

"No. Just bad enough that it sucks. I'll heal soon." 

"You want me to check?" 

Lex smiled weakly. "No. I think you've seen my ass enough lately." 

Bruce didn't return the smile. "I just want you to be okay." 

"I will be." Physically. 

"You okay if I go to class?" 

"I was raped, not crippled." 

Bruce stood quickly and went to his dresser to pull clothing out. "I'm just trying to help." 

"I don't need it." 

"Fine." Bruce stripped out of his pajamas and into khakis and a sweater. "I'm going to class." 

"Good." Lex curled back onto his side to face the wall, and let the tension drain out of his body when he heard the door slam shut. It wasn't that he didn't want Bruce's attention, it was just... He didn't know. He wanted to be held and told it would all be okay, but he also didn't want to be touched. He'd been in too much pain and shock yesterday to protest when Bruce helped him. 

He didn't know how to feel, and he didn't understand why he couldn't get over it. Yeah, it hurt, but he should be able to tell himself that it didn't matter, that he should move on. He was a Luthor, after all. No time to dwell on physical pain or discomfort. And the pain wasn't excruciating. Not any more. 

But. 

It still hurt. And he _couldn_ ' _t_ look beyond it or ignore it or otherwise pretend that his torn ass and bruised hips didn't ache. 

He tightened his blankets further around himself. 

Even if they wouldn't keep Clark off of him if he got into the room, they helped for now. 

Somewhere between thinking of Bruce and ways to enact revenge on Kent, Lex fell asleep. 

* * *

Clark Kent got his backpack together for his morning classes, and on the way out of his room he caught a glance at himself in the mirror. Tall for his age, black hair that could stand a trim, sexy smile, shirt that hugged everything just right, pants that left enough to the imagination... 

He looked good. 

And he felt good. 

After fucking Lex the previous afternoon, he'd hunted down a previous conquest, one that had been willing to let him work through his high at taking Lex. Clark had left him a few hours later, the boy twitching and sore and happily covered in his own ejaculate. 

Clark couldn't help but grin at the memory. 

And Lex... The little freak had deserved it. Walking through the hallways and buildings like he owned the place, staring through Clark as if he didn't even see him... It was all Lex's fault that Clark never wanted to go home, where his dad was always angry and his grandfather was an ass and his mother cried. Lex and his asshole of a father, the manipulative weasel who cheated his family out of the farm. They ruined his life. 

Just thinking about it made Clark angry all over again. Fucking Lex. Fucking Luthors. Fucking boarding school in the middle of fucking nowhere. 

Not that he'd want to go to some shitty public school, but still. Maybe there'd be _girls_ there. Not that guys were all bad, but he really wanted to get his hands on some tits. 

He squeezed the strap of his backpack tighter, careful not to crush it. His bracelet flashed in the mirror. With the thumb of his other hand he stroked the gemstones, as always fascinated by the way they seemed to glow at his touch. Clark had always loved the bracelet. He hadn't taken it off since it had been given to him years ago. 

Clark heard a groan, and looked back at his roommate, who'd come in late last night and passed out. He still reeked of alcohol. 

Clark shook his head as he left the room. At least he just had a lot of sex, not got drunk all the time. Much better for his body, right? 

* * *

Lex was awakened by Bruce shaking his shoulder. "Lex, you feel better?" 

Lex wiggled to gauge the damage to his body. "Yes, actually. Itchy from healing, but it doesn't hurt as much." 

"Are you sure?" Bruce looked worried, and kind of like he didn't think Lex was telling the truth. 

"Yes, Bruce." Lex shrugged off Bruce's hand and sat up. It still hurt, but no where near as much as it had the day before. 

And he wasn't bleeding, which was always good. 

"Good. I'm on lunch break, and I want to take you to get a blood test." 

Lex didn't like needles, and he didn't want to go to the nurse. "I haven't been sick since the meteor shower when I was four. I doubt I'd catch anything now." 

"Yeah, and you've also never been exposed to infected semen before." Bruce stared at Lex, and Lex gave in and nodded in confirmation. "You should just check to be sure. You know Kent sleeps around." 

"Mmmph," Lex grunted in Bruce's general direction as he swung his legs over the side of the bed. "If it'll get you off my case, then fine, I'll go." Lex rubbed a hand over his stomach. "I'm hungry, anyway." 

Bruce turned to dig something out of his backpack, and turned back around with something wrapped in napkins. He handed it to Lex, who raised an eyebrow in question. "It's a sandwich. In case I couldn't convince you to leave." He raised hopeful blue eyes to Lex as Lex look it. 

Lex peeled back one of the napkins; it was his favorite kind of sandwich, when he had to stoop to sandwiches. Apparently Bruce was only capable of smuggling sandwiches from the cafeteria. Lex set the sandwich down on his night table next to the one he hadn't eaten the night before, and when he faced Bruce again Bruce thrust an apple into his hands. 

Lex hadn't been aware that Bruce was such a mother hen. 

Lex changed into a loose pair of Dockers and an old Henley t-shirt, forgoing boxers for the moment. He shrugged into a light jacket and grabbed the sandwich Bruce brought for him, nibbling it as Bruce locked the door behind them and they trekked to the nurse. 

Lex didn't walk with a limp any more. 

Those meteors killed a part of him, but they really helped save his life in other respects. 

The visit to the nurse was less than pleasant, but it could have been a lot worse. Somehow Bruce used his charisma to not only get the nurse to not create a chart for Lex, but to also put his own name on the test results. She gave him a shrewd look as if to tell them that they weren't fooling her with the story about stepping on rusty nails. Lex tried to lend credence to the weak story by accepting a tetanus shot, which hurt like hell and he knew would ache for days, but the nurse still didn't seem to buy it. 

However, lovely woman that she was, wooed by their charm, she did what they asked and promised to deliver the results to them and them alone, laws for minors be damned. 

She finally left them alone as they prepared to leave, Lex wincing as his arm protested at being moved. "You owe me, Bruce. Tetanus shots hurt like a bitch. Especially since I don't get sick." 

"Safe than sorry, Lex." Bruce didn't look particularly sorry at all, not that that was an apology anyway, but he did squeeze Lex's hand in a somewhat reassuring gesture. It would have probably been more reassuring but Lex was seriously confused as to why Bruce was acting so kind and concerned. They were friends and roommates, sure, but usually Bruce let Lex have his space, and Lex made sure to give Bruce his own. 

It was disconcerting. 

But not unwelcome. 

* * *

After helping Lex back to their room, Lex protesting all the while, a sure sign he felt better, Bruce went to his afternoon classes. It couldn't be said that he was there in spirit, but his body dutifully sat quietly and scribbled notes. His mind, however, was thinking of his roommate, and Kent. And how best to confront Kent about his roommate. 

He could always break into Kent's room and surprise him there, but that might be dangerous, knowing Kent. Bruce didn't know Kent very well, but there was an unwholesome, wild look in his eyes that made Bruce uneasy. The way they seemed to be tinged red didn't help, either. He was also older and taller than Bruce, and while Bruce would do what he could to avoid a physical fight, it didn't mean he'd be successful. 

Right now, the only real option open to Bruce was to learn more about his opponent. Find his weakness, not to take him down, but to get him on common ground. Press his own advantage. Instill in him that he couldn't keep taking physical advantage of people. 

After classes, he skipped that afternoon's fencing lesson to check on Lex. Lex was asleep again, either because he needed it or because he was avoiding the world. With Lex, it could easily be either. He sat and watched his roommate sleep for a while, knowing that what he was doing was creepy, but also not caring. 

He cared for Lex. 

More than he probably should. 

Lex didn't deserve to hurt, especially not to _be_ hurt. Death and trauma were one thing. What Clark had done to him was something else entirely. 

Bruce flipped open his history text and settled against the wall. He'd wait until dark, then go grab dinner. After that he'd break into the main office and read through Kent's student file. Try to learn everything he could about the tall junior. If he couldn't find much there, he'd check the library's newspaper archives. Kent wasn't old money, so anything his family had done to get him into Excelsior would probably be relatively recent. 

He wasn't absorbing much of what his history book had to say, but that was okay. Right now Bruce had more important things to worry about than his education. He looked up when Lex twitched in his sleep, the movement providing an unnecessary reminder. 

* * *

Clark rolled his shoulders, knowing the action would push his chest against his shirt, outlining the shape of his pecs for the boy he was trying to seduce. As expected, the boy's light brown eyes flicked down to his chest, then further down. A tilt of his hips let the boy see how hard he was. 

They were behind Clark's dorm, hidden in the shadows by one of the entryways. The moon was full enough to cast weak light onto them, illuminating the other boy's already-pale skin. Clark had wanted the boy, a recent transfer, ever since he saw him this afternoon. The pale, unblemished skin reminded him of Luthor, and he wanted to see what this kid would be like. 

If he'd moan. If he'd beg. If he'd just lie there and take it like Lex did, even when he asked for it. 

The kid seemed willing. His eyes weren't open all the way, and he'd been smirking sexily for some time. He was an experienced flirt, that much was clear. Clark wasn't sure how old he was, and he didn't care. What he cared about was whether or not the kid was comfortable blowing him outside like this. 

He leaned down into the boy, the couple inches difference in their height comforting to Clark. He was always bigger than his partners, and he liked it that way. He pressed one hand to the boy's stomach, testing whether the touch would be welcome. The boy moved closer to him and ran his hand up underneath Clark's shirt. 

Definitely welcome. 

Clark grinned at the boy, encouraging the touch, and slid his own hand lower, fingertips underneath the waistband of the boy's pants. He was about to lean down to kiss his new playmate, but a gruff voice stopped him. "Kent." He looked up, his smile fading when he saw the Luthor freak's roommate standing in the shadows ten feet away. 

"What do you want?" 

"I want to talk to you." Wayne looked tense and angry. 

"No." Clark went back to touching the kid; he didn't even know his name. 

"Yes." 

Clark jerked around in surprise; Wayne had crossed seven or so feet without making a sound. Clark had to stifle a laugh at the way Bruce looked like he was trying to loom over him. "Fine, Wayne. We can chat." He turned back to his toy, who was looking at him with disappointment. He murmured into the boy's ear, making him shiver. "I'll come get you later." The boy nodded, then slipped away, careful to leave distance between himself and Wayne. 

Clark turned fully to the unwelcome invader, who was now another foot closer. "I know why you're here. But I've got nothing to say to you." 

Wayne wasn't deterred one bit by his sneer. "You could tell me why you saw fit to rape my roommate." 

"He-" 

"And don't give me that shit about him ruining your life. I know about what happened in Smallville, the buyout, you moving in with your grandfather. And I know you blame Lex. But he had nothing to do with it." 

Clark tried not to be annoyed by the angry glare Bruce was giving him. "Fuck you, you don't know me." 

"I know enough." 

Clark stood tall, leaning down over the irritating shorter boy. "Fuck. You. Or better yet, fuck Lex. Maybe he denies it, but he liked it. Liked being held down, liked me fucking him..." He expected Bruce to hit him, wanted him to try, but all Wayne did was glare back at him. "Or did you want your turn, Bruce?" He lowered his voice to the one he used to seduce everyone else. "Lex tell you how good it was? No exaggeration, I'm sure..." He tilted his hips up, watched Bruce's eyes drop to his groin. 

They quickly flicked back up, Bruce's mouth twisted into an unpleasant grimace. "You can't treat people like that. It's against the law. Even if you don't give a fuck about the law, it's wrong." 

"What his family did to me is wrong! It's like a fucking nightmare. My parents were happy until the Luthors took everything from them. They'd be better off poor on that fucking farm than in debt to my grandfather! And here I am, hundreds of miles from anything familiar, and it's all. Lex's. Fault." He leaned down into Bruce's face. 

Bruce didn't back away. He didn't even blink. "Lex didn't do anything. And if you do to anyone else what you did to Lex, I'll report you. You'll be labeled as a sex offender for the rest of your pathetic life. I'll tell everyone you should be a poor farmer's kid, not whatever lie you've been spilling about your perceived wealth." Bruce drew himself up taller. "And you'll have to deal with me." 

Clark bit back a laugh, but couldn't help his snort. "Are you fucking kidding me? Like I'm afraid of you. And so the fuck what if you tell people about me? No one likes me, anyway. And my grandfather's a fucking lawyer, or didn't your reconnaissance inform you of that? He can fix anything you try to do." He leaned back down over Wayne. "And don't you dare threaten me. Or I'll do even worse to Lex next time." He spat into Bruce's face and straightened. 

Bruce looked back at him passively, like he hadn't just been spat on. He didn't even say anything. Irritated and horny, Clark pushed him away and headed off towards the room the transfer was in. He needed to vent his anger, and good fucking would work nicely. Three steps into his stomp-off, Wayne said quietly, "Just remember what I said." 

Clark didn't even acknowledge the words. If he did, there was a good chance he'd turn around and bash Wayne's head against the wall. Fucking people was one thing, but there wouldn't be a way to cover up that. 

* * *

Lex's words bit into him the second he opened the door to their room. "Where have you been?" 

"Out." Bruce lay down on his bed and opened his history book. 

"Out?" Bruce turned his head to where Lex was all but fuming at him. 

"What's wrong, are you okay?" Bruce sat up, concerned about his roommate. 

"I'm fine. Just wondering where you've been." Lex narrowed his eyes. "I assume you went to visit Kent." 

"I did." No point in lying. Lex was already pissed at him. 

"Why?" 

"Because he can't go around hurting people. And he needed to be told that." 

"He needed a good laugh. Congratulations, you gave him one." Lex flopped backwards onto his bed; he must be feeling better if that didn't hurt. 

"Maybe he'll listen." 

"People who hurt people don't listen. Bruce, the kid is fucked up. You've seen him around campus, he always has his hands down someone's pants or is ready to fight someone or just sits and glares at everything." Lex turned onto his side to face him. "I just hope you didn't make it worse." 

"We'll just have to wait and see." 

Lex rolled his eyes. "Good plan." 

"I've never had to do this before. I'm playing it by ear." 

Lex sighed and turned back onto his back. "I know." 

Bruce watched as Lex made himself more comfortable, his history book a prop once again. Maybe Lex was dealing, maybe he wasn't. He couldn't tell. 

But something needed to happen to resolve the situation. 

* * *

After a few days to finish healing and let Bruce mother him to death (the negative blood test results only ameliorating the situation a bit), Lex decided he needed to confront Clark himself. He felt better now. Physically he was fine, had been for the last day or two, but he needed to prepare himself mentally. The pain had just taken over before, but now that it was gone, he could think. He could plan. 

He needed to kick Clark's ass. 

Easier said than done; Clark was _huge_ compared to him. He needed his next growth spurt, but unfortunately he doubted it would come any time soon. He'd just have to use his wits, catch Clark at a bad moment. And take advantage. 

Bruce had already shared with him what he learned, adding to what Clark had already said to Lex about his family and the farm and a nearly-abusive grandfather and whatever else in Clark's home life that gave him issues. Clark also had a record of delinquent incidents at the school; he was known for being in fights and being a smart ass who sometimes acted out at authority. Apparently, a lot of money had gone into keeping him in the school at all. That grandfather must be one hell of a lawyer. 

Lex gave a cursory glance around his room to make sure he had everything, then hitched his school bag up onto his shoulder. He glanced at Bruce, who was writing something in a journal. Weren't you supposed to write _before_ you went to bed? "Bruce, come on, you can write about whoever you have a crush on when you get back. Class is going to start soon." 

Was Bruce... was Bruce _blushing_? If he thought he'd have half a chance of sneaking a peek at that notebook before Bruce caught him and castrated him, he'd try to see what Bruce was writing. Or _who_ he was writing about. Bruce closed the book and tucked it underneath the mattress. "Sorry. Had to write down the dream I had before I forgot anything." 

"Anything good? Girls in chocolate bikinis?" Lex smirked; he knew Bruce's desire for girls was pretty limited. The kid was practically a monk. 

Surprisingly, Bruce didn't look him quite in the eye, as if he didn't think Lex would notice. "Something like that." Bruce slipped his pen into his pocket and grabbed his own satchel. "Ready." 

"Finally." Lex opened the door and Bruce closed it after them. 

After a while, Lex wondered why he'd been so damn glad about leaving the room. School was _dull_. The only classes he really liked, chemistry and history, were at the end of the day. English, trig, Italian, boring, boring, boring. Lunch was spent distractedly listening to Bruce mutter to himself about some math problem he wouldn't share with Lex and poking with his fork at the casserole on his tray. Expensive prep school or not, the food was lacking. 

Food wasn't his priority right now, and neither was Bruce. He was trying to think of the best way to approach Clark. Clark was so much bigger than he was, but Lex had had some training in martial arts, and he could fight. He'd just been caught off guard That Day. He'd been afraid, not that he'd admit that to anyone. 

The situation resolved itself, sort of, when he turned a corner that afternoon and only narrowly avoided colliding with Clark's chest by twisting to the side. Clark gave him a shove as if they'd actually made contact. "Try watching where you're going." 

Lex scowled; Clark looked unimpressed. "It was an accident, you Neanderthal." 

"What did you call me?" 

"Figures you wouldn't know." 

Clark blinked at him. "Are you kidding me? First your pansy-assed roommate accosts me outside my own dorm, and now you're challenging me? Are you _looking_ to get hurt again?" Clark's grip on his bag tightened, and Lex watched the blood drain from Clark's hand as he squeezed. 

"No." He didn't want to get. _Hurt_. Again. He wanted revenge. This might, however, be a poor way of going about it, if Clark's irritation was any indication. Irritation led to impatience, which led to anger... 

"Then get the fuck out of my way." Clark started to push past him. 

The fighter in Lex, the Luthor, opened his goddamned mouth. "No." 

Clark stopped and looked down past his shoulder at Lex. "Pardon?" 

Lex prayed his voice didn't waver. "You get out of _my_ way." 

Clark rolled his eyes exasperatedly. "I _really_ don't have time for this. Time is money." He gave Lex another shove, hard, and Lex fought to not lose his balance. A crowd had already stopped to watch them, and he didn't want to back down now. He couldn't back down now. He couldn't fall on his ass with Clark laughing at him. 

He rocked back then forwards, using the momentum to push back at the large immoveable object that was Clark Kent. "Don't push me." Hopefully the gruff voice was more noticeable than his shaking hands. 

Clark raised his palms up defensively. "Okay. Calm down. I won't." He started to back away, then punched Lex in the face with a right hook. Lex dropped, pain exploding through the left side of his face. He didn't see the boot connect with his arm, but he felt the rubber edge of the sole, felt the bone break. He heard it, too, a wet creaking sound with an accompanying burst of pain. 

Flipped onto his back, he opened his non-swollen eye at Clark, who looked down on him with an expression that was both full of anger and hate yet _amused_. Lex felt his own anger well up, glad that it drowned out the pain. A little. 

Clark squatted and leaned over him. "The next time you come to me looking for a fight, remember how this one turned out." He stood and turned to look at the nearby gawkers. "You all got that? Luthor here came to me looking for a fight, and I was just defending myself." Lex couldn't really see anyone from where he lay curled around himself on the floor, but he was sure everyone was just nodding like a drone. Kent was known for his temper and the way he could kick peoples' asses without getting out of breath. 

He wished he'd remembered that before going to find him. He'd just been too angry. 

* * *

When Lex awoke, Bruce hadn't yet decided if he wanted to smack Lex on the uninjured side of his head or hug him on the uninjured side of his body. He didn't do either. Instead, he simply watched as Lex's pale blue eyes looked around in confusion, then settled on him where he was seated next to the bed. He grunted in inquiry. 

"You're in the hospital. Kent. Um." 

Lex's voice was raspy. "Beat the shit out of me." 

Bruce smiled weakly. "Something like that. How do you feel?" 

"Like a brick wall ran into me. How do I look?" 

The left side of Lex's face was bruised and swollen, and his arm was in a cast up past his elbow. "You look... like a bigger guy than you knocked you around." 

"Yeah, well, I wasn't prepared for him." Lex swallowed thickly, and Bruce picked up the cup of water on the table next to the bed and brought it to Lex's lips. The kind action earned him a glare. "I'm not an invalid." 

Bruce just matched Lex's glare; if he had felt like it he could have done him one better. "You say that now. Wait until you need to do things with your left hand again. Like write, or brush your teeth. Or masturbate. Just drink the water." 

Still glaring, Lex used his right arm to gently pull the cup out of Bruce's hand. He took a drink, still managing to glare. Maybe he needed better pain killers. "I've been working on becoming ambidextrous. In case something should happen one day." 

"Something like facing Kent by yourself without adequate preparation? Though according to the story, you came at him with a vengeance, and he just defended himself. Didn't know how strong he was, he said. I assume that that's all lies, and while you were originally there to fight him, you soon realized how woefully ridiculous that idea was? And then before you could make your escape, you opened your mouth and he closed it for you." 

Lex cocked an eyebrow. "What, you have cameras set up?" 

"Not yet." 

Lex looked like he wanted to say something, but instead chose to say something else. "I thought maybe I could catch him off-guard. Use what I know about him against him." 

"We know his history, his past. We know some of who he is now. But we don't know how to beat him. He's bigger than we are, and stronger. Much stronger." 

Lex shot him a look that clearly said, `No shit.' "Well, we can't just let him do this to me and get away with it." 

"In all fairness, Lex, you're the one who confronted him." 

"Not the first time." 

Bruce winced. It was only a few days ago, but it felt like a lifetime. Or maybe only a matter of minutes. "We'll think of a way to get back at him, okay? We're smart, he isn't. Not like us." 

"No, I guess not." Lex frowned. "But I don't want you getting hurt. It's my problem." 

"Our problem." 

"Mine." 

"I can't let you do this alone." 

"Why the fuck not?" 

"Because I don't want you getting hurt or raped or dead, okay?" Bruce stood, too riled up to continue sitting. Didn't Lex know? Couldn't Lex see? Lex was important. To him. And he was afraid of him getting hurt because he didn't always think things through. "I. I couldn't handle that. Not another loss." He stood there and breathed, trying to keep away the thoughts that threatened to spill over his carefully constructed mental dams. Thoughts of losing loved ones in a moment of excessive violence. 

"Bruce...?" Bruce closed his eyes to block out the hurt, confused look on Lex's injured face. 

"I'm fine. I'm just." Afraid of losing you, too. "I'm going to go get something in the cafeteria." Or go stand on the roof. Either one. But really the latter. 

"Okay. Bring me extra watery jell-o, okay?" 

With a nod, Bruce was out the door and moving, moving to someplace he could think. He couldn't let Lex get hurt. They had to do something about Clark. 

He climbed stairs and slammed the door to the roof open, startling two orderlies and a nurse who were up there smoking. He cool air helped calm him down, helped him focus. He'd been good lately, he hadn't had any panic attacks or nightmares or anything. 

But now he had to worry about Lex. About Clark. 

And he didn't know what to do. 

* * *

For several weeks after he broke Lex's arm with his foot, Clark studied Lex and Bruce from afar. He hadn't thought much about Wayne before, just knew him as Luthor's roommate, but now he watched him closely. The way he took care of Lex. The way he had the ability to sneak up on people. His past, parents lost to a mugger. Tragic. 

Not as tragic as living in misery because your family is alive, but still. Tragic. 

Clark stood in the woods behind Lex and Bruce's dorm, watching them through the wall. He loved having X-ray vision. He didn't know why he had it, or any of his other abilities, just that it had something to do with the meteor shower when he was little. His parents didn't talk about it much. 

Lex was using his broken arm easily, and Clark focused his eyes so that he could look more closely. The bone was in one piece again. Much too soon. Interesting. Clark didn't know much about broken bones, but he did know they didn't heal that quickly. He watched as Bruce wrapped Lex's arm in an Ace bandage as if it were still damaged. Subterfuge. But why? They must not want anyone to know that Lex had the power to heal quickly. Was "power" the right word? Clark didn't know. 

But he did know he wanted to test it. See how fast it worked, if it could be stopped, if the bones would knit improperly if they weren't set right. 

Rather than repulse him, Lex was starting to intrigue him. 

And he didn't like it. 

* * *

"Kent's been watching us," Bruce said as he carefully set the clips for Lex's bandage. 

Lex frowned, both at Bruce's words and the bandage; he hated having to wear something he didn't need, but it was advantageous to keep his freak body secret. "Really?" 

"He's doing it right now, from the woods." 

"You think he can see through the window well enough?" 

"That, or something else." Lex mulled over Bruce's enigmatic words, and Bruce finished wrapping up his arm. "There. Try to remember you should still be in a little pain, and physical therapy." 

"Right." As if physical therapy wasn't miserable enough when it was necessary, doing it for show when you were already fine was quite tedious. He looked up into Bruce's eyes, and Bruce smiled at him. Faintly. Quickly. Lex returned it. But he was a bit worried. "Why do you think he's watching us?" 

"I don't know. Maybe he wants revenge." 

"For beating me? And raping me? I doubt it." 

"I don't know." Bruce sat next to him on the bed, and Lex didn't mind the intrusion. Because it really wasn't one, not anymore. Bruce had stayed with him, had helped him, had gone out of his way to take care of him throughout this whole issue with Clark Kent. 

It was sort of nice, having someone there. He hadn't felt _wanted_ to such an extent since his mother was healthy. He watched Bruce frown at the far wall. "What?" 

"Just trying to think of what we can do. If anything. We can try to get him expelled, but people have tried that before. His family is too connected and he himself is too physically intimidating to be challenged. He's _almost_ too strong. I've watched him with other people, and... I don't know what he is." 

"So, while Kent is stalking us you're stalking him?" 

"I've been observing him to detect weaknesses. I don't stalk, I lurk." 

"You stalk." 

"Do not." 

"Do, too." Lex had to grin at the way Bruce glared at him; they didn't get to have a lot of fun, so they had to make do with what they could. Bruce was such an emotional mess, and Lex wasn't any better. He enjoyed making Bruce think about things that didn't remind him of how empty and awkward his life was. 

He wanted to remind Bruce that he had him. 

* * *

"What is Lex?" 

Bruce winced; he'd known Kent was a ways behind him in the hallway, but he'd hoped he'd stay back there. He was already late to meet Lex, and a confrontation with Kent would eat up more time. He turned to look at Kent; he didn't have to move his eyes up as much as Lex did to look him squarely in his. Bruce wasn't sure if there was anything but curiosity in them, but he didn't want to underestimate the lummox in front of him. "What do you mean?" 

Clark's lips twisted on one side. "Don't give me that. The kid's arm is healed. You know it, and I know it." 

Bruce didn't dare challenge him by asking how he knew Lex's arm wasn't broken. "He's a normal human." He didn't want to confirm or deny Kent's suspicion about Lex being healed. 

"Please. That kid is more fucked up than you and I put together. Daddy doesn't love him, Mommy abandoned him years ago. I even heard rumors that Lex was certifiable for a little while, something about a baby. People found Lex cooing to a fucking blanket. There isn't a single thing about that kid that's normal." 

"He's not a kid." 

"I dunno, he's small and weak. Does he even have pubes? I mean, if he had hair, would he by now?" 

The sheer glee in Clark's eyes while making fun of Lex was making Bruce angry, despite his resolve to play this interaction cool. "What do you really want, Kent? You've beaten Lex, you _raped_ him, there isn't anything else you can do to him. He has nothing left to lose to you. Leave him alone and go find someone else to play your fucking power games with." 

Kent looked... Kent looked _smug_ , arms crossed over his chest. "I want to learn what he is. Why he heals. Why he passes time with _you_ of all people." 

"What's it to you?" 

"Just my own curiosity. Of why he's a freak. And why you are, too." 

The glint in Kent's eyes was disconcerting, but if Kent thought these little digs were going to get to him... "Just stop it. You're not going to manipulate me into fighting you, or discussing Lex. Leave the two of us alone." 

"You're wrong, Wayne." Bruce felt his eyes narrow, but he couldn't do anything about it. "I haven't taken everything from Luthor." The way Kent was looking at him made his blood cold, and the hairs on his neck stood up as if they were trying to get away from him. Kent bent down and whispered silkily, "I haven't yet done anything to _you_." 

Though hoping he didn't show it, Bruce was terrified. Both of the way Kent was clearly threatening him with bodily or psychological harm, and also of the way he seemed to be getting aroused from it. He could feel Kent's heat through his shirt, could smell him, could feel the words flowing over him. "And after that, then there will be nothing left for him to lose." 

Bruce swallowed, and tried to back up, away from Kent. But his back pressed into the wall, and when the hell had he moved all the way to the wall? The only reason he didn't hyperventilate was because he'd worked the last few years on controlling his breathing, so he could possibly control his panic attacks. As it was, he could feel his heart thumping in his chest, could feel how tight his skin was. 

And then Kent reached a hand out, and wrapped it around the back of Bruce's neck. And tugged. Bruce could only follow, could only let Kent lead him to wherever he was going to do whatever he was going to do. He knew he should fight back; he could fight, he'd been taking lessons. But fighting would mean engaging Kent in battle, and he wasn't yet prepared for that. But maybe he could run. 

Maybe sensing that Bruce had made up his mind to flee, maybe sensing he'd tensed his muscles as his body geared for flight rather than fight, Kent's fingers tightened painfully on his neck. "Don't run." 

That just made him fight back, made him twist in Kent's grip, made him come to his senses about getting the hell out of there. He glanced around the suspiciously empty hallway, no one anywhere near to help him. 

He shifted enough so he could jam an elbow into the soft spot below Kent's ribs, only there _was_ no soft spot. It was like elbowing a wall, with the same sharp pain radiating through the bone. Kent didn't even grunt, he just grabbed Bruce's arm and twisted it behind him. "Do it again, and I'll break it like I did Lex's." 

Kent all but dragged him down the hall, whispering to him about how good it would be to take Bruce from Lex, about how it would get him out of the way to get to Lex again. To study him, see what made him tick. "How much longer, Wayne? How much longer can he control himself without needing a padded room? How much physical abuse can that body take before it won't heal? With you gone, I'll be able to find out..." 

Bruce tried again to get away, tried to twist in the grip while tripping Kent at the same time, but it didn't matter. Being in Kent's hands was like being trapped in a vice. A tall, dark haired, psychotic vice. One that laughed at him. 

He was still squirming when they rounded the corner and almost bumped into Lex. Lex stopped in his tracks when he saw them, his face draining even paler than normal, his book dropping from his hand. Fearful eyes looked past Bruce to Kent. "What are you doing?" 

Kent's words were cold and vaguely merry. "You should know." 

Was this how it happened? Lex was _dragged_ into that bathroom? And Kent was taking joy from Lex's obvious pain at the memory, at his fear of what was going to happen to Bruce. The words angered Bruce to the point that rage finally won out over his fear. He fought harder and started to yell. "Lex! Go get help. Before he hurts both of us!" He slammed his heel down on Kent's foot. "Let me go!" 

Clark acknowledged him. Sort of. He slammed Bruce into the wall so hard he had to check for loose teeth, and he hoped his pelvis wasn't bruised too badly. Bruce crumpled to the ground and curled in on himself; he had to get back up, had to help Lex, but he needed to be able to breathe first. 

He watched Lex stand there, watched Kent stride up to him like he was a hooker propositioning a john. "You back for more, Luthor? I thought we were done, but I'll happily take another piece of you. Maybe then we'll be even." Kent stared down at Lex, oozing assurance like the serpent in the Garden. 

But Lex didn't want what Kent was offering. He backed away, eyes nervously flicking over to Bruce. Bruce knew Lex was freezing up, knew that nothing he could do would help at all. But maybe if they worked together... 

Bruce forced himself to move, to crawl quietly but quickly behind Kent. Lex watched him without moving his eyes, keeping them trained on Kent, but a flick of Lex's wrist told him he'd seen him. 

Lex swallowed, and his voice was uneven. "Leave us alone." 

"If you tell me what you are, maybe I'll leave you alone." 

"I'm not-" 

"Don't give me that `I'm normal' bullshit. I may not have lived on the farm for long, but I still recognize it." 

"Don't. Don't do anything you'll regret, Kent." Lex sounded braver now, and Bruce braced himself. 

"I regret nothing. You know that." Bruce could hear the sneer in Kent's words. "Maybe you should be taking your own advice." 

"The only thing. I regret. Is letting you hurt me and get away with it the first time." With that, Lex charged at Kent, catching him off-guard and forcing him backwards over Bruce. Kent crashed onto the floor with Lex on top of him. Lex clawed and fought, and Kent fought back. Lex scratched at him, his voice a reedy yell. 

For his part, after a few seconds, Kent just laid back and watched Lex expel his fury, his face bright with amusement. Until he must have gotten tired of it, and he raised his arm to Lex's. Lex took the chance to rip that stupid ruby bracelet off of him, the jewelry flying through the air due to the strength with which Lex had pulled on it. 

Kent suddenly stopped, and grew pale and vacant-looking. Lex fought harder and Bruce was about to join him when he realized that Kent was already worse for the wear, his face drawn and his arms no longer fighting at all. 

Concerned and confused but also knowing when to take advantage of a situation, Bruce finally pulled Lex off of Kent. "Come on, something's up, let's go before he wakes up." 

"But-" 

" _Now_." Bruce got an arm under Lex's and dragged him away, wondering if he should ignore Lex's tears or tell him to stop crying because it would be okay. 

He chose the former, and focused on getting both of them back to their room before Kent caught up to them. He made sure to grab the bracelet as they passed it. 

* * *

Clark fought back a laugh as Lex vented his anger by hitting him, clawing at him, ripping his shirt. As if Lex could _hurt_ him. It was more than humorous. 

But eventually (seconds were too long for that nonsense), Clark just wanted the sickly-looking runt off of him. He raised his arm, the one with the bracelet, to get some leverage to hit Lex with his other hand. He snarled in anger when Lex's nimble fingers got underneath the bracelet and yanked it hard, breaking it, the bracelet winding up down the hall. 

And Clark's body went cold. Like ice had been injected into him. He felt his overwhelming anger rush from his body, in the same fashion as his strength. 

He lay there, not knowing what had just happened or what to do, and he watched Wayne drag Luthor off of him, watched them run away like the spoiled little rich pussies they were. 

And then he struggled to his feet, wavering at first, waves of what he assumed was nausea rolling through his body. It was a long, slow trek back to his room, people staring at him until he mustered up a glare to ward them off. 

Once back in his room, he ignored his roommate's token inquiries and collapsed onto his bed. He wasn't sure if he were more pissed off about his body's sudden shut-down, the fact that he lost his treasured bracelet, or the fact that by all appearances, _Luthor_ had beaten him in a fight. 

He decided to try to get some sleep so that maybe things would look clearer when he awoke. Hopefully the buzzing in his head would go away. 

* * *

Bruce shut the door to their room behind him, locked it, then said, "Well. That was interesting." 

"'That was interesting'? That's all you got? That was amazing!" Lex was currently experiencing the biggest high in his life to date, unguided energy coursing through his body, and he didn't want Bruce to bring him down with stupid statements. "Come on, we got him! I don't know how, but we did!" 

"Yes, it's the uncertainty that has me concerned." Bruce looked at the bracelet in his hand, then turned on his desk lamp to see it more clearly. 

_Whatever_ he was looking for, Lex didn't care at the moment. Instead, he took the jewelry from Bruce's hand and placed it on the desk. He turned Bruce towards him. "Bruce. Can't you feel it inside you? The humming? We _won_." 

"You don't-" 

"I don't _care_ if we don't know what happened. What I care about is that you and I were in a fight with that monster, and now we're both safe, and he's got something wrong with him." 

Bruce stared at him for a minute longer, dark brows crinkled over blue eyes, then his face relaxed. And he smiled. "Okay. You're right. Let's enjoy the reprieve while we have it." 

"Thank you!" And then Lex pulled Bruce's head down so he could kiss him, the tension between them the past few weeks, the buzz from the events of the last few minutes, all of it going into the kiss. Lex tried to put all the words he couldn't express again, like `thank you' and `want you' and `thank God,' into it, but when he pulled back and looked into Bruce's shocked eyes it probably wouldn't have mattered _what_ he tried to say, if the flush on Bruce's face was any indication. 

Bruce looked at him, clearly having no idea what to say. He inhaled deeply a couple times, apparently trying to gain control of. Something. Lex didn't care what, he just wanted to kiss Bruce again, make all that confusion and uncertainty go away. But then Bruce finally spoke. "Lex... what are you doing?" 

"Dammit, Bruce!" Bruce was such an idiot sometimes. "You've been staring at me lately and taking care of me and you've engaged in battle for me! Don't tell me you don't want this!" 

"What, exactly, is `this'?" Bruce asked weakly. 

Lex moved closer to Bruce and pressed a knee up between his legs, his body running on some sort of instinct. " _This_." He kissed him again, forced his tongue past Bruce's lips, not entirely sure what he was doing but since everything felt good he didn't really care. 

Bruce didn't seem to care either, if his moans were any indication. 

But then Bruce pushed him away. Lex growled in frustration, but he waited for Bruce to speak. "Are you sure about this? I don't want to-" 

"Don't you dare say you don't want to take advantage of me! I'm the one coming on to you because I'm tired of the games we've been playing, me sitting here while you tend my physical and psychological wounds. And I'm not just thanking you, I'm allowing myself to feel you, to feel again. Don't take that away!" 

"So long as you're sure..." And then Bruce tackled him, knocking him backwards onto his bed. Lex stared up at him, if possible more turned on than he had been before. "I've wanted you for so long, before this nonsense with Kent. I wanted to have you my way, I wanted things to be better, but..." He kissed him, and Lex sucked on his tongue while he ground down into him. 

It didn't take long from there before both of them were spent, soggy-shorted messes clinging to each other for something Lex couldn't define. Even if this wasn't permanent, if this was the only time they ever did this- and Lex doubted that very much- they still had it, still had each other. 

His life was one complicated, painful mess after another, but. But maybe if Bruce was there, it wouldn't matter so much. There was no one else he wanted to share himself with. 

* * *

"Have you seen Kent lately?" Bruce watched as Lex turned his head up to look at him. They were in Lex's bed, enjoying what Bruce had heard of as the afterglow of sex. In their case it was just the afterglow of rubbing and kissing, but it still felt damn good. It felt good to just finally have Lex _with_ him, instead of just near him. 

"Not since we beat him and robbed him. And good riddance." Lex frowned. "Why?" 

"I haven't seen him either. And I'm concerned." 

"Why? I thought we agreed that if he left school and we never, ever saw him again it would be too soon. He's an asshole, Bruce. After what he did to me, to us..." 

It was Bruce's turn to frown. "I know. But. That doesn't make it right. What if we did something to him?" He looked towards the bracelet on his desk. 

"Oh, the bracelet again? You and your theories. It's not like Samson's hair, Bruce. It wasn't magic, it didn't give Kent special powers. It's just kind of gaudy, and Kent liked it." 

"But I need to know. For my own sake." 

Lex glared and sat up, his skin breaking out in goose bumps from the cold air. "So, what, you want to give it back to him so he can fucking _kill_ you? If that's your plan, then we can just stop this right here. I'm not going to let you get yourself fucked over by Kent. I've been there and it isn't pleasant." Lex pulled on his shirt, then reached for his boxers. 

Bruce leaned over him, pressing Lex back down on the bed. "No. I'm not going to give it back. And I'm going to avoid Kent as much as I can for the rest of my life. So stop." 

"Get off me! Don't try to make me do something I don't want!" The look in Lex's eyes was feral, but not aggressive. He was afraid. Of Bruce. 

He pushed himself up and away from Lex, uncertain of what he was doing, of what Lex was seeing. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean..." 

"Yeah. I know." Lex twisted the bottom of his t-shirt in his hands. "I just. I'm afraid of him. And for you." 

"We can try to find out where he is. Talk to someone." 

"Yeah, maybe." 

"I'll see if I can find out anything." Bruce was doubtful; if there was anything to know, he figured the school's grapevine would have trickled the news to one of them. But it wouldn't hurt to be proactive. 

"Me, too." Lex smiled softly at him, thoughts of Kent clearly far away from his mind. "So, should I take my shirt back off?" 

"Yes." He smiled back, grateful that Lex wasn't going to be afraid and frigid the rest of his life because of Kent. He could have been destroyed, never opening to anyone ever again, but he let Bruce in. Let him touch him. 

Thank God. 

* * *

Lex was educated on Kent's condition the very next morning when he bumped into Kent's roommate on his way to class. The shifty-eyed blonde didn't require a promise, bribe, or anything else before he told Lex exactly what he wanted to know. 

"Clark's been sick as a dog for three days, man. I cleared out, just went back in this morning to get some books. Kid's white as a sheet, puking, lookin' like he's gonna kick it any second." 

Interesting. Fascinating, in fact. "Did you tell anyone?" 

"He told me not to, somethin' about not wanting a hospital. None of my business, man. If he dies, maybe I'll get a free pass for the semester, you know?" 

Lex cocked a surprised eyebrow. "I know, I suppose. But don't you care about him? You live with him." 

Kent's roommate raised his palms to Lex. "Hey, just `cause I live with him it doesn't mean we're brothers or nothin'. We just sleep in the same room. That's it. The kid scares me, too, you know." The heavy-lidded brown eyes widened. "Don't tell him I told you nothin', okay?" 

Lex blinked at the mutually exclusive request before he said, "Okay. I never saw you." 

"Good." With that, Kent's roommate was gone. Lex was a little confused; usually he was more confident, less nervous. Maybe he was more concerned for his roommate than he was letting on. 

Lex shrugged, then started back on his way to his class, then stopped. Kent was alone, and vulnerable. Perfect time to check him out, maybe get an idea of what was wrong. 

He had to take advantage of the situation. 

* * *

Clark was in agony. Or what he had determined was agony based on descriptions of it. The last time he felt anywhere near this bad was when he'd come too close to those damn green rocks near the farm. But that was a long time ago. 

But he was sweaty, and cold, and shaking, and he thought he might want to throw up again. He'd felt this way ever since the Luthor runt had stolen his bracelet, but it was getting worse. He didn't know what to do, and he didn't have anyone to turn to. Even if he felt like calling home, how would any of them know what to do? He'd never been sick like this. 

He'd been wallowing in self-pity, pain, and general illness for three days. His roommate had cleared out, so he hadn't even had a human connection to the world. He'd had the feeling of his clothing and bedspread, and the trips to the bathroom. And that was it. 

He almost wasn't sure what he was hearing when he heard clinking and jiggling. He didn't, in fact, put it together until Lex Luthor walked into his room and smirked at him. "You lock your door. I'm surprised." 

Clark tried to ignore the disorientation-inducing spinning in his head when he raised it off his pillow. "You broke in here?" 

"Technically, I didn't break anything. I picked the lock." Lex walked closer, the morning light making his skin glow yellow. "I just had to see how you're doing." 

"...I'll bet." Clark's words were thick and forced even to himself. 

Lex stalked closer to him, the expression on his face and the light in his eyes wholly unpleasant. Those eyes focused on his and Clark had to fight a shudder. "You look like death." 

"Well, I feel fine." 

"Yeah. Right. If you felt fine you would have been on me the second I walked in the door." Lex loomed over him. "I think there's something wrong with you." 

"There isn't." Well, there sort of wasn't. He was just as strong as he was before, he could still do weird shit like see through things, but he couldn't move. His brain told him to do normal things like sit up or walk, but his body just wouldn't listen. Mind over matter was bullshit. 

"If there isn't, then you won't let me touch you." The light in Lex's eyes changed from wholly unpleasant to downright frightening. Three days ago Clark would have beat the shit out of him, but right now all he could do was watch as Lex's smirk deepened. He followed Lex's hand with his eyes, the slender fingers moving out of his view when they slid into his hair. If he weren't feeling somewhat afraid, he might think the touch was kind of nice. 

But then Lex dropped all pretenses and pulled his head back by his hair. "But you're letting me touch you. Just like I let you touch me." Clark swallowed, both to keep from vomiting from the sudden vertigo and to keep from crying out. Whatever was happening, and Clark wasn't sure he was getting it all, it couldn't be good. Of that he was sure. 

Lex pulled on his hair, and Clark tried to fight him off, but his body just didn't cooperate. He was too sick. Lex just pulled harder and twisted his head. "Looks like you can't move. Just like I couldn't." Clark tried to speak, but Lex cut him off. "I wouldn't want to do anything to you that you didn't do to me." 

Lex used the thumb of his free hand to trace around one side of Clark's mouth. His thumb was scratchy and unwelcome. "Stop." The voice that came out of his throat was nowhere near as authoritative as it was in his head. 

Lex's expression changed from downright frightening to downright mean. "No. You didn't stop for me." 

"You never asked." 

Lex frowned heavily before a look of doubt flitted across his face, but then he set his features again. "Would it have worked? Would you have listened?" 

No harm in being honest, right? Lex was going to do whatever he wanted to anyway. "No." 

"And why not?" 

Clark's throat was dry. "You deserved it." 

Lex's face was pinched. "I thought so." Lex pulled his hand away, and though Clark couldn't see without moving his head, he heard the sound of Lex's pants being unzippered. "Now I know you'll feel the way I did. I didn't deserve it, but you do. You're worthless. Less than worthless. You're the scum at the bottom of society. You bully people, and for what? Your shitty home life couldn't possibly beat mine. Dead mom, dead brother, sociopathic father. Oh, your dad drinks? Grandfather hit you? Too fucking bad, that's your problem, and it's not my fault." 

Clark felt sick, both because of whatever was wrong with him, and because he was finally really catching on to what Lex was about to do. And he was frightened, for probably the first time in his life. He'd been unsettled before, disturbed, but... he'd never been violated. He swallowed and tried to speak, but nothing came out. The whiny runt Luthor was... 

The whiny runt Luthor was climbing onto his bed, climbing on top of him, dick right in Clark's face. Luthor straddled him and lined his cock up with Clark's mouth. "Open, Kent." 

Clark shook his head as much as his aching neck would let him, enough to let another wave of nausea sweep through him. Lex just glared. "Open." Clark still refused, and Lex sighed. "You're really going to make me do this, aren't you?" _This_? He then closed his fingers over Clark's nose, and Clark knew it would eventually force him to breathe through his mouth. 

If he were lucky, maybe he'd pass out first. 

* * *

Just when Lex was beginning to think Clark didn't actually need to breathe, he opened his mouth just a tiny bit. It was enough. Lex surged his hips forward and forced his dick past Clark's lips. He raised himself up to a better angle, a better angle to thrust and keep his grip on Clark's hair so he couldn't move his head. 

Clark's mouth was warm and a little dry, but moist enough to give Lex what he needed. But he was fourteen, he didn't need much. Teeth were unpleasant, though. He pulled out and wrenched Clark's head again. "Do it right. No teeth." 

Clark gave a little pitiful nod, all Lex would allow, and Lex took his mouth again. It was better this time, there was more spit and Clark watched his lips around his teeth. Not the best circumstance for his first blow job, but, well, he hadn't had the best circumstance for his first sex, either. 

Lex didn't like what he was doing, knew he'd loathe himself, was frightened by a hateful expression growing on Clark's face, but he couldn't help it. He was remembering what it had been like, to be trapped in the bathroom by Clark, have that large body pressing him into the wall, invading him, and it just made him angry all over again. He was filled with hate and pain and a horrible feeling of justice. 

Clark was getting what he deserved. 

Lex ignored what he thought might be tears in Clark's eyes and instead focused on the way Clark's mouth felt around his dick. Hot and wet and... He came with a shudder into Clark's mouth, white fluid spilling around the edges when he pulled out. The expression on Clark's face was horrible, but... He couldn't help compare it to the insane glee Clark was wearing when he took him in the bathroom. 

Lex climbed back down off of Clark and tucked himself away, the sound of his zipper being pulled up loud in the room over his breathing. He smirked at Clark in what he hoped was a cold manner. "Thanks." He leaned back over his fallen enemy. "Tell anyone, and you'll regret it. I'll make it even worse. You'll pay." 

Lex crossed back across the room and looked back at Clark one more time. Not sure if he liked or hated what he saw, he opened the door and closed it behind himself. As it clicked shut he heard retching and the sound of vomit splashing into a garbage can. 

His work was done. 

* * *

Bruce watched Lex cross the cafeteria and drop into the seat across from him. Lex had an odd air about him, one that was... almost smug? "What did you do?" 

Lex raised his eyebrows in a poor approximation of innocence. "What do you mean?" 

"Cat and canary, Lex." Bruce raised an eyebrow in question. 

Lex stared back, apparently trying to make him back down, but Bruce held his gaze. Lex finally broke and rolled his eyes. "Oh, fine." Lex straightened in his seat and leaned forwards, and Bruce found himself leaning into Lex. Those blue eyes just... He wasn't sure what could stop him from wanting to look into them forever. "I got revenge on Kent." 

Except maybe that. "What?" 

Lex leaned back in his seat. "I got revenge on Kent." 

He really, really didn't want to know. "How? And where is he?" 

"Oh, he's just laid up in his room, sick as a dog." 

"And you..." 

Lex leaned forwards again. "Let's just say I returned the favor." 

Bruce's stomach hurt, and he wasn't sure he was entirely present or if he were watching his life on a movie screen. "You _raped_ him?" 

"Not up the ass. Just his mouth." 

"It's still wrong!" His stomach didn't only hurt, now it churned. 

"Haven't you ever heard that two wrongs make a right?" 

"First of all, it's `two wrongs don't make a right,' and second of all, Kent needed to be brought to justice, not... _that_." Bruce stood, not sure he could look at Lex for another second. "I'm going to go." 

"Oh, come on, like you didn't want to do the same thing!" 

Bruce started to walk away, then turned back. How Lex could manage to look smug and afraid at the same time, he didn't think he'd ever figure out. "I admit I wanted to do something to get even. But I never wanted to do that." 

Bruce went back to their room long enough to grab water and change into work out clothes before he hit the gym. He could miss his afternoon classes. Thinking was more important at the moment. 

* * *

Taking advantage of Clark was the last time Lex saw him around Excelsior. He'd finally been expelled from the school, or so one rumor had it. Others had him getting kidnapped, the victim of a contractual hit, or running away to join Cirque du Soliel. 

For the most part, no one seemed to care. The people he'd preyed on were thrilled. 

Lex was indecisive. He was glad the bully was gone, but he also didn't want to think that he had something to do with it. He was still at war with himself over how he should feel about what he did to Clark. He knew he should hate himself, as Bruce had made abundantly clear, but Bruce hadn't seen the self-satisfied expression on Clark's face once he was done using him. He knew it wasn't right, as Bruce also insisted, but he didn't care. 

He wasn't sure what that meant. 

All he knew at the moment was that Bruce wasn't speaking to him. Well, he _spoke_ to him, but they didn't talk about anything deep or meaningful like they used to. Mostly it was just about school work or practice and stuff like that. Lex missed his friend. 

And they definitely didn't fool around anymore. Lex missed that, too. 

In general, Lex wanted back the life he had before Clark Kent had decided he had it out for him. Before he knew unwelcome horror, before he knew temporary acceptance. He wanted greater control over his life so that people couldn't enter it or leave it without his permission. 

* * *

_Twenty Years Later_

Superman touched down on the roof of the LexCorp building, completing the all-to-familiar triangle. Lex Luthor stood to one side of the roof, detonator in hand, maniacal gleam in his eyes, while Batman stood patiently on the other corner, portraying nonchalance to anyone watching. But Clark knew that Bruce was prepared for just about any sort of physical response should Luthor move. 

Every time the three of them were in a stand-off together, Clark couldn't help but think back to the first time they were in an altercation. When he'd threatened Bruce, when Lex had ripped off his Red Kryptonite bracelet... so long ago, and yet Clark could feel the power he used to have over them both, could feel the way his energy rushed away like water in a public toilet when the bracelet flew down the hallway. 

After Lex had gotten what he wanted, or what he thought he wanted, and Clark had finally gotten over his withdrawal, he'd left school. He needed to learn about himself, learn what the damn rock was, why it was an actual _drug_ , once he felt better and figured out that that's what it was. 

He returned to Smallville, where he'd lived for a short time before his grandfather had bailed his family out of debt. He knew that going home would have been pointless; if his parents were going to say anything, they would have by now. He just couldn't buy "mutant" any longer. 

He'd walked around the farm where he used to live; it was abandoned and the fields belonged to LuthorCorp. He'd ventured aimlessly, or what he'd thought was aimlessly, avoiding the green rocks that made him sick. He eventually found himself at a set of caves. Caves in Kansas were a little strange, but he figured he'd be able to protect himself from whatever he might find. 

He didn't expect to find his biological father and the knowledge left to him by his parents. It took time, but Clark eventually absorbed the data afforded to him. Krypton, Kryptonite, his father. It had been difficult, painful at times, learning about his history and learning to understand and accept himself. Destiny. To realize that his past was a nightmare and it was still possible to get beyond it. 

And he did. 

Some might say he overcompensated. But he'd tortured too many people in his youth, and helping people as an adult made him feel better about it. He knew it wasn't entirely his fault, it was the red rock that made him sick and made him aggressive and nasty, but after all this time he still felt guilty about it, even if he hadn't at first. 

Superman glanced back over at Batman; some might say Bruce overcompensated, too. 

Lex had just gone insane after everything that had happened, or so Bruce eventually told Clark. Lex had become unmanageable, and had gotten worse and worse as he got older. Grandiose schemes to rule the world, insane ideas on how the world worked and his place within that structure. 

Bruce had been willing to share information about Excelsior and Lex, but he never shared information about himself and how he related to Lex. But Clark could figure it out. 

Batman tilted his head at the same time as Luthor made a show of hitting the button on the detonator, and Clark took his cue to rush Luthor and wrestle the weapon away. 

From the first time they interacted, when Clark was too angry to think, he could only act, the three of them had been entwined. First Bruce and Lex against Clark, now Bruce and Clark against Luthor. Pain and anger and betrayal and hatred all around, and uncertainty even while working together. Consequences for every action they'd all taken. 

Pointless to wonder how things would have turned out at any one stage had things been different, if he'd stayed in Smallville as a child, or hadn't accepted the bracelet, or hadn't acted on his hatred of Lex. 

Pointless. Destiny was what it was, or so he'd been told. 

But he couldn't help it. 

And he doubted Lex or Bruce could, either. 


End file.
